New from Us:
Santa Fe New Mexican: A Q&A with Charles Oppenheimer on Rebuilding Trust in Nuclear Energy
On April 26, 2026, the Santa Fe New Mexican published the Q&A transcript of an interview they conducted with Charles. During the conversation, Charles spoke about how his grandfather’s legacy shaped his views on science and responsibility, why he believes nuclear fission is essential for both decarbonization and arms control, and what it will take — politically, financially and culturally — to move nuclear to a practical climate solution.
Oppenheimer fellow Lucas Ruiz co-authored a new piece: After New START, How Many Nuclear Weapons is Enough?
Lucas contributed to the latest edition of the “Adults in a Room” series published by Inkstick Media. In the piece, Lucas argues that framing the question around sufficiency, rather than superiority or inferiority, surfaces the core absurdity of nuclear use and challenges the assumption that force structure alone can drive strategy.
Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant Tour
On Thursday, April 30, 2026, we organized a tour of PG&E’s Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant down on the central California coast. with colleagues from philanthropy and industry. The visit was a powerful reminder of what reliable, carbon-free baseload power actually looks like at scale. As grid demands grow, it’s hard to ignore just how critical these facilities are.
In the News:
Iran Submits New Proposal to End American and Iranian Blockades of Strait of Hormuz, Delay Nuclear Negotiations
The Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that, through Pakistani intermediaries, it has submitted fresh proposals to the Trump administration seeking to lift each side’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz to stabilize regional tensions. However, reports suggest that President Trump has already rejected these proposals, threatening to maintain the American blockade as long as the Iranian government refuses to unconditionally yield its sovereign nuclear enrichment capabilities.
In a First, Fusion Company Applies for US Grid Connection
On Tuesday, April 27, 2026, Cambridge, Massachusetts-based company Commonwealth Fusion Systems announced that it is the first developer of nuclear fusion to request a connection to the regional power grid operated by PJM Interconnection in the eastern United States. Commonwealth CEO Bob Mumgaard indicated in a statement that the company seeks to achieve this feat by the early 2030s.